CAIRO: The Supreme State Security Prosecution on Sunday renewed for 15 more days the detention order of Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, secretary general of the Arab Doctors’ Union and deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The prosecution also renewed the detention orders of Gamal Abdel-Salam, chairman of the emergency committee in the Arab Doctors’ Union, and prominent Brotherhood leaders Ali Al-Hadidy, Ahmed Ali-Abbas, Reda Fahmy and Abdel Rahman Al-Gamal, all of whom were arrested with Aboul Fotouh.
The detainees are accused of terrorism, joining an illegal group and money laundering.
In related news, the Supreme State Security Prosecution also renewed the detention orders of two other Brotherhood leaders; Mosaad Al-Sayed Ali Kotb from Gharbiya and Othman Mohamed Al-Nady Al-Leithy from Assiut.
They were arrested last March for belonging to an illegal group. However, the Supreme State Security Prosecution is now accusing them of being part of Aboul Fotouh’s alleged international organization that finances the MB.
However, according to an official statement sent to Daily News Egypt, the South Cairo Court had already ordered both members’ release on July 29.
Ahmed Kamal Aboul Magd, vice president of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) sent a memo to the general prosecution, requesting more information about Aboul Fotouh’s case.
Hafez Abou Saeda, chairman of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) and a member of the NCHR told Daily News Egypt that Aboul Magd had made an independent request which does not represent the council.
“The NCHR is a national council and does not interfere with the government’s policies regarding the Muslim Brotherhood.
Abou Saeda added that the NCHR had only requested that Aboul Fotouh’s health condition be taken into consideration “and that Aboul Fotouh be released until the prosecution completes its investigation.
Aboul Magd accused the government of mistreating the Muslim Brotherhood.
“The government should work on regaining its credibility among the public rather than arresting members from opposing political groups, Aboul Magd said in a press statement.
Aboul Magd said that Aboul Fotouh’s detention could be perceived by the public as a government tactic “to eliminate a political group [MB].
He further criticized the National Democratic Party (NDP) as well as the government for not employing political reform strategies and accused them of being isolated from the public.
“An indication of the success of any political system is the people’s satisfaction with it, and that cannot be achieved unless the party works to meet the needs of the people, he said, “unfortunately most Egyptians are neither satisfied with the government’s or the party’s performance.
